A Brother's War
by Pchew
Summary: "I remember it like it was yesterday. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, it might as well have been. No one should have to watch their twin, their other half, fight himself like I did." Matthew remembers Alfred's war and how it all began. Not 100% accurate.
1. It Begins

AN: This, I kid you not, is based off of a dream I had about two weeks ago. Scared the shit out of me, too. Only difference is that it was Arthur and not Matt that was in it. But there are so many stories about Iggy's POV of the Civil War, and pretty much none about Matthew's. So here we have it. Maple is remembering Al's inner conflict and what not. This will be a short two shot, so expect the end to be up very soon. Yeah.  
>I so totally own Hetalia. *is shot* ...or not. x.x<p>

* * *

><p>I remember it like it was yesterday. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, it might as well have been. No one should have to watch their twin, their other half, fight himself like I did.<p>

_It started with a twitch, just under his left eye. I didn't think anything about it, simply figured he'd been working too hard. A lack of sleep, perhaps. But then the spasms started coming more often and more pronounced. I asked him to go see a doctor, but of course he refused; told me it wasn't a problem._

_Alfred never has been a very good liar._

_We were sitting in his den, talking about nothing, when it happened. Mid conversation, mid laugh, Alfred fell to the floor without a sound. I didn't know what the hell was going on as he jerked and groaned and starting foaming at the mouth. _

_As blue eyes so much like my own rolled back and my brother lost consciousness, I wished more than ever that Arthur or Francis were here. They would know what to do. They could make this better. They wouldn't just sit there and cry like I did._

_Gently, I turned Alfred over so that if he began to empty his stomach he wouldn't choke on the bile. All I could think of was how this could happen. He was the strong twin, the big brother, the up and coming world power. Damn it, he was the United Fucking States of _America_!_

United. Haha. That thought always has been morbidly humorous since then. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

_A soft moan let me know that Alfred was waking up. I thanked my lucky stars as his eyes opened. But my gratitude didn't last long. Once heavy lashes lifted and he sat up, I felt ever muscle, every nerve, ever single blood cell that I owned tense and freeze._

_Call it a twin thing, call it being a good neighbor, call it the power of observation, I didn't know which. But what I did know is that the person in front of me wasn't my brother. Not anymore. His beautiful ocean blue eyes, still being shadowed by glasses, had now been replaced by a heterochromic gaze. The right iris was now a dark navy blue, hidden by a cracked lens, the left was a steely gray. Both were staring me down with a gleam of passionate insanity._

"_A-Are you alright?" I whispered, taking a step backwards._

_The voice that answered me wasn't his anymore than those demon eyes were. It seemed to be twisted, warped by two factions. One voice was nasal, yet proper; the other twanged and cocky. _

"_I'm fine Mattie," they said, head cocked to one side in mock confusion, "What's the matter, little brother?"_

_I wanted so badly to wake from my nightmare, to have Alfred, my Alfred, with his childish voice and excited cerulean eyes hold me like he had when we were children and I was afraid. To tell me that everything was alright._

_Too bad it wasn't a nightmare._

"_You're not my brother! Where's Al?" I screamed, more tears falling._

_His expression fell and his gazed hardened, "Alfred isn't here anymore," for a moment the voices separated into their individual accents as his left hand pointed to the navy eye, "There is only Billy," right gestured to grey, "And Johnny, now."_

_Before I could even think of something to say to this new information, the imposters drew a small knife from their trouser pocket and used it to slice themselves right down the center of their face._

"_And this," they said, "Is war."_

* * *

><p>An: I really should stop abusing Alfred. But it's just so effin fun! Meh heh. In case you are confused, let me explain something: The eye twitch? South Carolina seceding. The others? Other states? The full on epileptic fit? The formation of the Confederacy. Billy and Johnny? Billy Yank and Johnny Reb, old comic representations of the North and South. (: Like I said, it's going to be a two shot, so next chapter ends it all. Mostly just Matt reflecting some more and what not. Please review! Bye now~<p> 


	2. It Ends

AN: Last half! Hoorah! ...I kinda hate this story now XD But it wouldn't leave me alone. So...yeah. Here ya go :3 Warning: bit of OOC Canada ahead.

* * *

><p>Now, I look at my brother sitting across the room from me, some one-hundred and forty six years later, smiling and going on like it never happened, chatting with Arthur about God knows what.<p>

Arthur. I still haven't forgiven him for helping tear my brother apart, no matter how remorseful he had been afterwards.

"_What do you mean you're helping the Confederacy? Do you _want_ Alfred to die?" I cried._

_Arthur shook his head, smiling like a mad man, "I just want to see him get what he deserves. This would never had happened if he had stayed a good little boy."_

_I gasped. That's what this was all about? Arthur's bitterness? That was the straw that broke the camel's back and I did something that not even I saw coming._

_I punched him in the face._

"_Vous êtes le tuer! Vous trou de cul! Vous êtes tuer mon frère simplement parce qu'il a quitté vous! Je déteste vous! Je déteste vous! Vous arrogant, égoïste fiche de merde!" _

_I could feel the tears burning my cheeks, but that didn't matter now. As Arthur forced me off, I saw a large bruise forming along his jaw line. I couldn't help but smile a little at my accomplishment._

"_What the hell is wrong with you, Matthew? It's just a little Civil War! Alfred will get his just desserts and then he'll be _fine,_" he said._

_I laughed bitterly, "You think that, don't you old man? Come with me," I walked to Alfred's bedroom were he was laying on the bed, mismatched eyes open and glazed over, staring into nothingness. His brow was coated in sweat, and his breathing was labored. Blood had begun to flow from fresh wounds, bullet and blade alike. A battle was raging inside. _

_From behind me I heard the Englishman stop. I didn't' have to turn around to know the look on his face, but I did anyway, if just for the gratification._

"_You see it now…" before I could finish, Arthur ran over to the bedside, and stroked the wound marring Alfred's pale face._

"_My boy," he said, "My boy, what have you done?" I saw the empire's shoulder's stiffen as he remembered his words from moments ago, "Oh heaven above, what have _I_ done? It shouldn't be this bad!" he turned to me, green eyes now wet, "I helped fuel the fire, didn't I, Matthew?"_

_All I could do was nod as Arthur began to shake my brother and beg him to come back._

Billy and Johnny may have only been around for four years after that, but I know better. They're both still there. I can see it. Sometimes Alfred's eyes will flash a different color, or his accent will change. I haven't let him near a knife since 1865. I'm too scared too. I'm afraid that if given the chance, those imposters will come back, that my brother will be gone for good.

Especially since Johnny was such a sore loser.

_They stood there, panting. The left side of their body was sagging, almost like a stroke patient's would. Johnny's grey eye was dulled, but that gleam was still there. On the right, Billy was holding his own, his side of Alfred's mouth set in determination as he listened to the other half scream. _

"_I ain't goin' down that easy, ya hear me ya damned Yankee? I'll be back! THE SOUTH SHALL RISE AGAIN!"_

_Then, he went slack, dragging the rest of the body with him. The Union had won._

Johnny's threat is still very present in my ears, especially now as I trace the outline of Alfred's scar down the center of his face. He uses some kind of makeup to cover it these days, but to me, it will never be hidden. The only thing more alert in my memory is the day I got my brother back.

_Two days after the end, I was waiting for Alfred to wake up. My head was buried in my hands as I prayed to every god, goddess, and saint that I'd ever heard of that he would be okay. When I felt calloused fingers brush my arm, I knew someone had heard me._

"_A-Al?"_

_His right eye opened first, revealing that same navy hue. My heart almost stopped._

"_B-B-Billy?"_

_He just shook his head, and I watched an iris almost as black as the night sky fade to the clearest of blues. Then slowly he sat up, rubbing his face before turning fully to me and blinking both eyes open. Both matching sapphire eyes._

_I was excited, but I had to make sure. So I poked him in the side right were I knew it would get me a reaction._

"_Eep!" he squealed, "What was that for Mattie?"_

_He was blushing furiously, but I didn't care. He had yelled at me in one voice. His voice. For what seemed like the millionth time lately, I cried. But the tears weren't from fear, or sadness. No, they were happy and relieved._

"_Mattie?"_

_I looked up, matching his gaze, "You scared me, Al," I traced my finger down the now healed wound, from hairline to chin, "You scared me bad. I thought I was going to lose you forever._

"_Sorry," he mumbled, "but it's okay now. I'm okay."_

_Then just like I had wished he would that fateful April day, Alfred held me.  
><em>

* * *

><p>AN: Terrible ending is terrible v.v Anyway, if I ever get the inspiration too, I WILL be going back and fixing this fic. But for now, I hope you guys at least liked it (:<br>Translation for Matt's freak out: "You're killing him! You ass hole! You're killing my brother just because he left you! I hate you! I hate you! You arrogant, selfish peice of shit! " ...yeah...I broke the Maple. Also, does anyone have a suggestion for a better title? Do ya? Do ya? owo

Please review! *waves around plushies*


End file.
